![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Girls golf makes history on senior night
Katelyn Vo (12) watches the ball roll slowly across the green toward the last hole of the match. The only senior on the team, she was honored in the senior night ceremony following the match.
October 22, 2019
In a memorable senior night match last Friday, varsity girls golf defeated Notre Dame San Jose at the Los Lagos Golf Course, clinching their second consecutive league title and fifth title in the team’s history. Led by Katelyn Vo (12) and Claire Chen (9), who both shot even par 34, the team achieved a final score of 178, beating Notre Dame by 43 points.
During the game, the girls were supported and cheered on by friends and family alike, and many came to support the team’s only senior, Katelyn, on her senior night match. Liam Bakar, a close friend, was one of many who followed Katelyn throughout the course, cheering her on while holding up his handmade sign spelling “Katelyn, more like Kate-win.”
“It makes me very happy to see her succeeding and doing so well,” he said.
Kaidi Dai (12), who joined Katelyn’s group of supporters during the last hole, expressed her excitement over coming out and watching Katelyn play for the first time.
“Kate is one of my best friends. I knew this night meant a lot to her, so I wanted to show her my support [by coming to the game],” Kaidi said. “It makes me so happy to see her playing and doing what she loves. It’s great to see her fully in her element.”
Following the match, coaches and players each gave short speeches to Katelyn, reflecting on her influence on the team as a fellow athlete, role model and friend. Ie-chen Cheng, middle and upper school golf coach, smiled while recalling Katelyn’s journey growing up on the golf team since joining in the seventh grade, her small quips drawing out laughter from the crowd.
“Senior night is a culmination of all the work [the team has] put in over the years, and I think that no one deserves [the win] more than Katelyn does. To go out with a bang like this, it’s awesome,” Cheng concluded after the ceremony. “It’s been super amazing to see her improve. She’s one of the most selfless and kind and thoughtful people I’ve ever met in my life, and I’m really going to miss [her].”
The golf team will go on to compete in the league championships Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Baylands Golf Links.
